Again
by crazyshay77
Summary: Heist Society: "Kat walks away, suitcase in hand. Her stride is calm and confident like always. Hale is waiting for Kat to turn around, run back to him. Maybe even ask him to come along this time. 'Hale, I need you.' He is dying to hear her say this. Four simple words. But she keeps going, not looking back even once. Disappearing into the airplane and to another continent. Gone."
1. Part I

Kat walks away, suitcase in hand. Her stride is calm and confident like always. Hale is waiting for Kat to turn around, run back to him. Maybe even ask him to come along this time. _Hale, I need you._ He is dying to hear her say this. Four simple words. But she keeps going, not looking back even once. Of course she wouldn't. Disappearing into the airplane and to another continent for the next few weeks.

Gone.

"She's gone again," Hale mutters to himself. Once again, Kat left him.

"She always comes back, Hale," a female voice speaks. The young billionaire turns around to face her.

"What are you doing here, Gabrielle?" he mumbles flatly. She hands him a warm cup.

"It's hot cocoa," Gabrielle says, avoiding the question. Hale smiles briefly at the thought of hot chocolate. Kat loves hot cocoa. But she isn't here with him to enjoy it. The smile fades from his face.

Together, they walk out of the airport in silence. Marcus is waiting by a limousine, holding open the door for his young master. They begin driving to another estate. Large, yet empty. There is really no point in having such a large place to yourself if you don't have any company. And the only person Hale wishes to have as company is already 40,000 feet above.

Gabrielle crosses her long legs once she settles down.

"You need to tell her, you know."

Hale finally speaks to her. "Tell who what?"

She sighs over-dramatically, natural Gabrielle, and rolls her eyes. "Don't act dumb, Hale. I'm talking about Kat."

"What's there to talk about?"

"You love her," Gabrielle states. As if it were as simple as telling her the weather. But things were never simple with Kat Bishop.

He wants to deny it, but there's no point in denying the truth. Hale does love her. Way more than everything he ever owned. He loves the way her nose scrunches up when she is deep in thought, her stubborn attitude, her voice whenever she says his name. Heck, he loves her voice no matter what she's saying.

Except for when she says she is leaving.

The sinking feeling whenever she leaves makes him wish he never stumbled into her world. He feels empty, lost. Wandering in a half-dream state, waiting for her to return. This feeling shatters him every time. But Hale still loves her. Because no matter how many times she leaves, when she returns it's like the sun rises again in his life. He is always ready to welcome her back, to see her again, hear her again. Feel her again.

But now she is gone. Again. This shattering feeling is back. Again. And Hale isn't sure whether or not he's willing to wait for her to return, only to have her leave.

Hale exhales loudly and Gabrielle looks smug. "You _do _love her, don't you?" she says again, smiling.

"Yeah, so?" he answers, seeming bored at the topic. When in reality, he's suffering.

Gabrielle snaps her head to face him. "So? Why are you acting like this doesn't matter, Hale?"

"There's no point!" he retorts. "Yes, I love Kat. Happy? But what's the point if she keeps leaving me, leaving all of us? Packing her bags, jetting away to who-knows-where doing who-knows-what, without so much as a warning? Maybe a little hint? Or even a _'Hey Hale, I'm leaving to Sicily to find a painting and return it to its rightful owner. Do you want to come?' _Because I do want to come, Kat! I'll willing to go anywhere for you, do anything for you! Why do you keep leaving me?"

Hale breathes in and out, panting after letting out all his pent up emotions. His voice rose and rose, to the point where he was yelling at nothingness.

"Wow," Gabrielle comments, startling Hale out of his angered daze. "You got it bad." Hale groans and buries his face in his arms.

"Can we stop talking about this?" he grumbles into his hands.

Gabrielle shifts a seat over and pats Hale on the back. "There, there, everything will be okay," she coos, like a mother addressing a child.

He shoots a dagger-like glare at her. "Not. Helping." She holds her hands up in mock surrender and places them back at her side.

Luckily for him, she doesn't try to speak for the rest of the ride. He takes this opportunity to attempt to drift off into sleep, but just as he begins slipping away from reality, Gabrielle speaks and he resurfaces.

"You know, she might stay if you told her the truth. If she knows how much you care about her."

He looks over at her. She is examining her manicured nails as if what she just said wasn't a complete stroke of genius. At least, genius in Hale's mind. "Gabrielle, you finally said something useful!"

She doesn't acknowledge the compliment, and instead takes the double meaning. "Wait, what do you mean by 'finally'? I've been useful loads of times!"

Hale ignores her. "Marcus? When is the next flight to Sicily?"

He knows what he's going to do. Kat will finally know that he loves her. Hopefully, the feelings are reciprocated. Does she love him too? There's only one way to find out, and he can't wait another minute.

"10am tomorrow morning," his butler answers after a brief pause.

Well, he'll have to wait 24 hours. But it'll be worth it.


	2. Part II

The plane finally lands, rumbling along the ground before it halts to a stop. Sicily is beautiful this time of year. Even during the winter months, the sun shines brightly, radiating warmth throughout. Hale steadies himself when he stands and stretches. Even in first class, using a commercial airline is not as comfortable and plush as his private jet. But sadly, his jet is under repair, and while he could find another mode of transportation, he is focused on getting to Kat. Comfort is not his first priority.

Although, taking a private jet would have been much more enjoyable.

_"First class passengers may now exit." _The voice over the loudspeaker announces. Promptly, Hale grabs his over-head luggage and makes his way down the aisle.

He didn't get much sleep last night. One part being eager to see Kat, but another was planning. Even spontaneous visits have to be planned. Hale needs to be able to find Kat in time for her big job, and he doesn't have much time.

For the past month, she had planned to visit the Grand Villa Astalia. The current owners are completely unaware of the priceless painting cased between the brick walls of their fireplace. If things go well, they'll never find out.

Sneak out, take the painting, and be home safely. It is an easy job, nonetheless, but risky to do alone. Hale would be glad to help, and help he will. Her heist launches tomorrow, and he is determined to find her before then.

The chilled air inside the airport refreshes Hale's mind with every step. As he walks, he tunes into conversation in hope of gaining useful information.

"_El aeropuerto perdió mi equipaje! No puedo creerlo! Yo estaba en primera clase, que se puede esperar un mejor servicio,_" A woman complains in rapid Spanish. No, that won't help. Many other languages weave into various conversations but none of which aid the young billionaire.

Then he finally catches a bit of information that might be of use. "Hotel Romani," a stout businessman says with an accented English. _A hint of Russian, maybe?_ Hale ponders.

"Good hotel, very nice quality. I've gotten a hold of the Diamond Penthouse Suite," the man adds boastfully, causing his companion to chuckle.

"Ah, Romanov. Always the best for you. Go big or go home, that is what the Americans say, yes?" The two slip into Russian, and though Hale can follow along if he chooses to, he already has all the information he needs.

_~~::__Again::~~_

Hotel Romani. He finds it quite ironic Kat chose to stay in a hotel of this name. But it's close to the Villa, providing the easy access she needs. It is a nice choice, anyway. The entire place yelled 'luxury,' from the gleaming chandeliers dangling above, plush velvet seating, to the embellished mahogany check-in desk.

Hale clears his throat and readies a slight Russian accent. "Hello, miss. I would like to check in."

"Right away, sir. Name?"

"Romanov. I believe I booked the Diamond Penthouse Suite."

The woman looks up at him strangely. "Oh, I was expecting an older gentleman. A Mr. Anton Romanov?"

"Oh, yes. He is my uncle," he lies smoothly. "I was sent to bring his luggage to his room."

She seems to still have doubts. Hale flashes a charming, honest smile to swerve her judgement. After a bit more discussion, she deems him trustworthy. Additional details are taken care of, and the next minute a sleek key card is handed to him. Too easy.

DIAMOND PENTHOUSE SUITE: FLOOR 30. Strolling to the elevator, he marvels at how simple it was to pull this off. A high-end, top society hotel got bested by a sixteen year old billionaire-turned-thief. Nice.

With a resounding _ding _the elevator halts to a stop on the top floor. The ambiance is as luxurious as the lobby, adorned with similar decoration. There are two other suites, dubbed the Ruby and Emerald, and the Diamond is at the end of the hall.

Once inside, Hale realizes it's called the Diamond Suite for a reason. The entrance opens into a grand, spacious room, with a kitchen and bar area in one area, and a large living space taking up the rest of the space. In the far back is a window that spans the entire wall and allows anyone to revel the breathtaking view of the Sicilian countryside. The Ruby and Emerald seem to have similar views, but the Diamond offers the best of all.

"Mr. Romanov, you picked such a nice room," Hale ponders aloud. "Too bad you'll never get to see it." After retrieving his laptop, he accesses the hotel's mainframe in no time. While he doesn't have as much experience as Simon, he still knew enough to get through. He obtains the guest list and scrolls down to find his dear 'uncle' Romanov.

"Here you are..." Hale clicks on the name, hits a few keys, and transfers Anton Romanov to a different suite. "I hope you'll like the Ruby Suite. I'm going to be using your Diamond for the time being." Taking care of the room situation is easy, but now there's Kat to focus on. Finding Kat won't be the easiest task. Would she have used her real name to check in? Even though it isn't likely, he types in "Katarina Bishop" and hits search.

A knock comes at the door, interrupting his thoughts. "Come in!" he answers, then realizes letting a stranger might not be the best idea. What if they realize Romanov never had siblings, much less a nephew? Or, even worse, it's Anton himself? It is just past noon, he shouldn't be here until later!

The door swings open, and Hale releases the breath he was holding in. A young man wearing a maroon suit walks in, donned with a name tag that reads 'Harvey'. Just a bellboy.

"Hello... Mr. Romanov?" Harvey trails off in question. "I wasn't expecting-"

"Yeah, he's my uncle. I'm his nephew, Nick." He inwardly winces at his name choice. Nick. That double-crossing, no-good, British runt Kat picked up off the streets. He hopes he never sees him ever again.

The bellboy recovers quickly. "Yes, of course! Well, Mr. Nick, how are you finding everything?"

"Just fine."

"Excellent! Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, thank you." Harvey nods and makes to the door. Hale returns his attention to the screen. _0 Guest Matches Found for 'Katarina Bishop.'_ He sighs. Of course. Hale looks back up to the bellhop. Harvey.

Maybe he should... Would it help... It seems like a last resort type of thing... But did he have any other options at the moment?

"Wait, Harvey!" He stops before reaching the door and turns back around.

"Yes, you actually _can_ help. Has a girl checked in here today? Short, dark brown hair, sapphire blue eyes, about this tall?" He gestures to about his shoulder level.

"Maybe... Why do you ask?" Harvey answers slowly.

How to word this. _Well, my dear Kat traveled around the world to this hotel to sneak into the Villa and steal a painting, while I'm trying to fess up my feelings to make sure she never leaves me again._

"She's my girlfriend and we have some... things to work out. You know how women can be," Hale adds, in hope Harvey could relate.

Harvey nods in understanding. "I hear you, man. Oh, um, I mean Mr. Nick. Sir."

Hale laughs. "It's fine. So... did you see her?"

He thinks for a while. "Actually, yes! I think I did. A girl that looks like what you described checked in earlier today."

"What was her name?"

"I'm not exactly sure. But I do know she's staying in Room 302 on the tenth floor."

"Really? Thanks!"

The eager bellhop beams, satisfied he did his job. He is deserving, so Hale tips generously with a fifty dollar bill.

Next goal: find Room 302, and find Kat.


	3. Part III

_"You know, she might stay if you told her the truth. If she knows how much you care about her."_ Hopefully what Gabrielle said would be true. Hale stands before Room 302, wondering if he should knock. Would she be inside? Checking his watch, he sees that it's 1:30. According to the brochure the tour lasts from 1 to 2, so Kat won't be back until later. Hale has half an hour to figure out how to go about this.

Harvey, the poor guy, is now missing his employee key card, which can get into every room in the building. Hale swiped it out of his front pocket earlier as he slid the $50 tip in its place. For such a fancy establishment their staff is a bit sub par.

Inside the suite looks normal enough. There is a suitcase at the foot of the bed, some brochures and scattered papers on a desk. Curiosity getting the best of him, Hale goes over to each.

There are a variety Some of Sicily in general, some of the different museums and beaches here, and a single one of Grand Villa Astalia.

In the suitcase is a whole new identity. A brightly colored wardrobe that doesn't really suit her (she was always more of a black and blue kind of girl), Gabrielle-type magazines, feminine products that he didn't need to see... Well, that's enough looking around for now.

Instead, Hale feels around for a hidden side pocket that Kat usually stitched into any suitcase she brings. Surely enough, cleverly concealed within another pocket, is three fake passports , wads of euros, and... some photos.

The first is a one of her father, Bobby Bishop. It is a profile shot, half his face cast in a shadow. Mysterious, intriguing, and in Hale's eyes the perfect example of how thieves should be like.

Then a group candid shot of Simon, the Bagshaws, and Gabrielle. Hamish and Angus's faces were covered in smoot and dirt, looking guilty. Simon looked shocked, and Gabrielle was mid-way through rolling her eyes.

The final picture brings a smile to Hale's handsome face. Gabrielle took this picture without Kat knowing. But apparently she knows about it since she has it wit her. He remembers this day...

_Waiting. It was all I could think to do when Kat left. It was getting late and I shouldn't be worried. Kat knew what she was doing, she always did. But I couldn't help but worry. She was my Kat and I felt like I had to protect her._

_"Still waiting?" I didn't turn to see who it was, or even wonder how Gabrielle could consistently walk up unnoticed. Too deep in thought I guess._

_"Nope," I denied anyways. "Just can't sleep."_

_"Riiight," she drawled. Gabrielle took a seat next to me.  
_

_"Hale, drop the act, okay. This," she gestured around my body, "can't hide it."_

_I quirked an eyebrow. "Can't hide what? My boyishly handsome good looks, irresistible personality, and all around attractive being?"_

_Quick as a whip, her manicured hand flew over and slapped my shoulder. I winced._

_"Ouch, Gabs!"_

_A click of a window sounded upstairs and we both froze. I smiled, knowing only Kat would enjoy taking the challenging way in. Gabrielle moved across the room to the bay seat, messing around with an old Polaroid camera she picked up on the way._

_Slow, calculated steps made their way down the stairs. Kat must have thought we were all asleep._

_"Hey, Kat," I greeted as I heard her final step. She walked over sleepily and plopped down next to me. _

_"Hi... Wallson?" she asked with her eyes half closed. I let out a carefree laugh that only Kat can get out of me. Nice to know she could still make jokes in a half conscious state.  
_

_"Nice tr-" I froze when Kat's head brushed against my shoulder. Next thing you know she was fast asleep. Carefully, I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. I wished I could be in this moment forever._

_Click! Gabrielle snapped a picture from across the room. As the picture developed, she said, "I'm preserving the moment. Who knows when you two will finally get together when you're both awake."_

Hale looks at the photograph preciously.

He almost drops it when the door opens and in walks in Kat.

* * *

**Like, no like? Leave a review! I did all of these basically without reading over it and editing so... yeah, some mistakes are probably scattered. It's late and I really wanted to just post _something_. Oh, and I changed the point of view for the flashback on purpose just because it was easier. Sorry if that was confusing, it felt necessary I guess. There'll be another section or two after this so it won't be long. So... reviews?**


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